Apple plans to move flagship San Francisco store to Union Square

Apple has submitted plans for a new retail location in San Francisco's Union Square that would replace the Apple Store currently at Stockton and Ellis.

Plans for the new store emerged on Thursday, according toSFGate. The rendering of the retail space shows a gray, box-shaped store with a facade that appears composed almost entirely of glass. Both floors of the store are visible from the front of the building.

The new space would be located at the corner of Stockton and Post, in a spot previously located by Levi's. It would be 45 percent larger than Apple's current Stockton and Ellis location, with all of the same features.

San Francisco officials are working with Apple on plans for the new location, which could bring an additional 50 jobs to the area, in addition to the 350 that the current location supports. Officials are hoping to find more "green measures" and "energy efficiencies" for what they hope will become the "Bay Area hub" for Apple shopping and customer service inquiries.

Apple currently has three retail locations in San Francisco, not including the company's Best Buy-based mini stores. The One Stockton Street location that would be replaced by this newest design has been in operation for nine years.

The move from One Stockton Street would be in keeping with previous statements from Apple CEO Tim Cook. Asked about the health of Apple's retail operations, Cook explained that some stores are too popular for the amount of space they have available.

Over the course of 2013, Apple will be renovating or moving 20 of its retail stores into larger spaces in order to accommodate their traffic levels. Apple will also add 30 new stores this year, largely outside of the United States.

They'd better put bollards all around that front! In fact, due to all the smash-and-grabs lately using vehicles, they'd better put them in a lot of places! I'm sure Jony Ive can come up with a sturdy, and especially Apple-esque, traffic bollard!

Thought they had a 20-year lease at One Stockton. One of my favorite memories of that location was its proximity to Moscone Center, and the crowds flocking over there from WWDC and MacWorld. You have a little hill to climb to get up to Post! Interesting that Niketown and Levis are both losing their leases.

The architectural rendering seems to take a bit of creative license from reality. The current building at Post and Stockton is triangular to accommodate a plaza with steps and entrance to the building behind it. They could eliminate or redesign that plaza (and art work) and make it a lot narrower and smaller -- but there wouldn't be as much if any space between the new Apple store and the building behind it as shown in this rendering.

As a visitor to wonderful San Francisco some years ago who was staying at a hotel in Berkeley, I found that the Stockton Street store theatre provided a comfortable and convenient home base when downtown. Thanks Apple.

The Central Subway is building a new station on the corner of Union Square, with a pedestrian tunnel to Powell St Bart.

The current Levis store isn't very inviting, and the weird triangle space (visible in Flyover) leaves open a strange set of 70's looking steps that are left in the shade (making it perpetually cold and uninviting) by the building itself.

Having a new building that opens into the Square would make that corner a lot nicer, and reducing the wasted area behind it would be a side benefit.

It'll be an extra two blocks for Moscone Center visitors, but there will also be a Central Subway stop there, so they can make some use of the rather silly tunnel now being built (the construction of which is killing the area around the current Apple Store.

Thought they had a 20-year lease at One Stockton. One of my favorite memories of that location was its proximity to Moscone Center, and the crowds flocking over there from WWDC and MacWorld. You have a little hill to climb to get up to Post! Interesting that Niketown and Levis are both losing their leases.

Yes... Macworld attendees will have to rent sherpas or Segways to negotiate the treacherous additional 2 blocks with a rise in elevation of about 20 ft.

Good location. Don't like the design of the Stockton facing wall. The current design requires the removal of the steps that currently lead to the Stockton side entrance to the Levi's store. It also requires the removal of the fountain that sits on the stairs. It is a beautiful fountain with an incredible amount of detail. San Franciscan's are going to be really angry with Apple if they move ahead with the current design. In fact, Apple could make many more friends and potentially new customers if they incorporate the fountain into the building design. Just sayin'.